The present invention relates to a telephone such as a fixed telephone, a portable telephone, and a PHS, and a method of limiting call-incoming operation of the telephone, and more particularly to a telephone which is able to automatically effect a changeover call-incoming operation corresponding to a time zone.
With conventional telephones, a user is able to select the tone volume of a ringer during call incoming and a singing melody, but the selected state is fixed unless the user changes it, and even in a night time zone from evening till morning when the surroundings become quiet and even in a daytime zone when the surroundings are noisy, call incoming is signaled with the same call-incoming tone volume or call-incoming pattern.
For this reason, in the case of a telephone in which the call-incoming tone volume is set to a high level or the call-incoming pattern is set to a quick one which sounds bustling, during the night, the high level of the call-incoming tone volume, the high tone of the call-incoming pattern, and the bustling quality of the call-incoming pattern impart discomfort and annoyance to the surrounding people. In a case where the call-incoming tone volume is set to a low level or the call-incoming pattern is set to a slow call-incoming pattern, the call-incoming tone during the daytime when the surroundings are noisy becomes difficult to hear.
To overcome such a problem, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open 5-46154/(1993) discloses a telephone with a call-incoming-operation limiting function which is arranged such that, during a specific time zone in a day, the output to the ringer during call incoming is cut off, and call incoming is signaled by a call-incoming lamp alone.
However, with such a conventional telephone with a call-incoming-operation limiting function, there is a problem in that the user is unable to know call incoming if the user is not looking at the lamp.
In addition, there are also cases where the user is unaware of the fact that there has been a changeover in the signaling method, and an inconvenience occurs as a result.
In addition, there are cases where the answering phone function or the like is used every day during a fixed time zone, but in such cases it is very troublesome to set the answering phone function on each such occasion every day and to cancel it when it has become unnecessary. Furthermore, the user may often forget to set or cancel the answering phone function or the like.
The present invention overcomes the above-described conventional problems, and its object is to provide a telephone with a call-incoming-operation limiting function which limits the call-incoming operation in correspondence with a time zone by a method whereby the user is capable of noticing call incoming, and to provide a method of limiting call-incoming operation which is capable of overcoming the trouble with which the setting for limitation must be performed every day, and of overcoming the problem of forgetting to perform the setting or cancellation.
Accordingly, the telephone with a call-incoming-operation limiting function in the present invention is provided with: ringer-tone-volume controlling means for controlling a tone volume of a ringer during call incoming; and call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means for instructing the ringer-tone-volume controlling means at the time set by a user to change over the tone volume to a tone volume set by the user.
In addition, the telephone with a call-incoming-operation limiting function in the present invention is provided with: call-incoming-pattern controlling means for controlling a ringing pattern of a ringer during call incoming; and call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means for instructing the call-incoming-pattern controlling means at the time set by a user to change over the ringing pattern to a ringing pattern set by the user.
In addition, the telephone with a call-incoming-operation limiting function in the present invention is provided with: vibrator controlling means for controlling a vibrator for signaling call incoming; and call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means for instructing the vibrator controlling means at the time set by a user to effect a changeover to signaling of call incoming by the vibrator.
Furthermore, the telephone with a call-incoming-operation limiting function in the present invention is provided with: answering-phone-function controlling means for controlling an answering phone function; and call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means for instructing the answering-phone-function controlling means at the time set by a user to use the answering phone function during call incoming.
Furthermore, in the method of limiting call-incoming operation of a telephone, the tone volume of a ringer during call incoming is automatically changed over to a set tone volume each time a time zone set by a user periodically arrives. Alternatively, the ringing pattern of a ringer during call incoming is automatically changed over to a set ringing pattern each time a time zone set by a user periodically arrives, or the signaling method during call incoming is automatically changed over to a method of signaling by vibration each time a time zone set by a user periodically arrives. Still alternatively, the response during call incoming is automatically changed over to a response by an answering phone function each time a time zone set by a user periodically arrives.
For this reason, by setting a time zone when the surroundings become quiet and by limiting the call-incoming operation during that time zone, the user is capable of knowing call incoming without imparting discomfort and annoyance to the surrounding people. In addition, once the setting for limiting the call-incoming operation is performed, it is unnecessary to provide the setting or cancel it every day and it become possible to overcome the problem of forgetting to perform the setting or cancellation.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a telephone with a call-incoming-operation limiting function which has clock means for measuring the time and changes over call-incoming operation according to the time, comprising: ringer-tone-volume controlling means for controlling a tone volume of a ringer during call incoming; and call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means for instructing the ringer-tone-volume controlling means at the time set by a user to change over the tone volume to a tone volume set by the user. By providing a setting to lower the tone volume of the ringer after setting the time when the surroundings become quiet, the user is able to know call incoming without imparting discomfort and annoyance to the surrounding people.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, at a starting time of a time zone set by the user, the call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means instructs the ringer-tone-volume controlling means to effect a changeover to the tone volume set by the user and, at an ending time of the time zone, instructs the ringer-tone-volume controlling means to stop the changeover. Once this time zone is set, the tone volume is automatically changed over each time that time zone arrives periodically. Hence, it is possible to dispense with the trouble with which the tone volume is repeatedly set on each arrival of the time zone, and it is possible to prevent forgetting to perform the setting or cancellation.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, there are provided call-incoming-pattern controlling means for controlling a ringing pattern of a ringer during call incoming; and call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means for instructing the call-incoming-pattern controlling means at the time set by a user to change over the ringing pattern to a ringing pattern set by the user. By virtue of the change in the call-incoming pattern in which the tone is set to a lower level in the audible range (e.g., 200-400 Hz), or the ringing interval is set to be long (e.g., 4-5 sec), or the melody is changed over to a minor key, the user is able to know call incoming without imparting discomfort and annoyance to the surrounding people.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, at a starting time of a time zone set by the user, the call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means instructs the call-incoming-pattern controlling means to effect a changeover to the ringing pattern set by the user and, at an ending time of the time zone, instructs the call-incoming-pattern controlling means to stop the changeover. Once this time zone is set, the ringing pattern is automatically changed over each time that time zone arrives periodically. Hence, it is possible to dispense with the trouble with which the ringing pattern is repeatedly set on each arrival of the time zone, and it is possible to prevent forgetting to perform the setting or cancellation.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, there are provided vibrator controlling means for controlling a vibrator for signaling call incoming; and call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means for instructing the vibrator controlling means at the time set by a user to effect a changeover to signaling of call incoming by the vibrator. Hence, the user is able to know call incoming without imparting discomfort and annoyance to the surrounding people.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, at a starting time of a time zone set by the user, the call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means instructs the vibrator controlling means to effect a changeover to the signaling of call incoming by the vibrator and, at an ending time of the time zone, instructs the vibrator controlling means to stop the changeover. Once this time zone is set, a changeover to signaling of call incoming by the vibrator is automatically effected each time that time zone arrives periodically. Hence, it is possible to dispense with the trouble with which the signaling method is repeatedly set on each arrival of the time zone, and it is possible to prevent forgetting to perform the setting or cancellation.
According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, there are provided answering-phone-function controlling means for controlling an answering phone function; and call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means for instructing the answering-phone-function controlling means at the time set by a user to use the answering phone function during call incoming. Hence, a call-incoming response can be made without imparting discomfort and annoyance to the surrounding people.
According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, at a starting time of a time zone set by the user, the call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means instructs the answering-phone-function controlling means to use the answering phone function and, at an ending time of the time zone, instructs the answering-phone-function controlling means not to use the answering phone function. Once this time zone is set, a changeover to the call-incoming response by the answering phone function is automatically effected each time that time zone arrives periodically. Hence, it is possible to dispense with the trouble with which the responding method is repeatedly set on each arrival of the time zone, and it is possible to prevent forgetting to perform the setting or cancellation.
According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, there are provided at least two of ringer-tone-volume controlling means for controlling a tone volume of a ringer during call incoming, call-incoming-pattern controlling means for controlling a ringing pattern of the ringer during call incoming, vibrator controlling means for controlling a vibrator for signaling call incoming, and answering-phone-function controlling means for controlling an answering phone function; and call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means for instructing the controlling means at the time set by a user to effect a changeover of operation during call incoming. Hence, it is possible to realize the operation of the telephones according to the first, third, fifth and seventh aspects by a single apparatus.
According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, there is further provided signaling means for signaling that the time measured by the clock means and the time set by the user have coincided. Hence, the point of time in changing over the call-incoming operation mode can be signaled to the user.
According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is further provided call-incoming-operation change information setting means for holding the time which has been set over a plurality of times by the user, and for setting average time of the timing as the time set by the user. Accordingly, even if the user does not set the time zone, the time zone for limiting the call-incoming operation can be set automatically.
According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of limiting call-incoming operation of a telephone, comprising the step of: automatically changing over a tone volume of a ringer during call incoming to a set tone volume each time a time zone set by a user periodically arrives. By providing a setting to allow the tone volume of the ringer to be automatically lowered during a time zone when the surroundings become quiet, the user is able to know call incoming without imparting discomfort and annoyance to the surrounding people.
According to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of limiting call-incoming operation of a telephone, comprising the step of: automatically changing over a ringing pattern of a ringer during call incoming to a set ringing pattern each time a time zone set by a user periodically arrives. By providing a setting to allow the ringing pattern to be automatically changed over to a quiet pattern during the time zone when the surroundings become quiet, the user is able to know call incoming without imparting discomfort and annoyance to the surrounding people.
According to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of limiting call-incoming operation of a telephone, comprising the step of: automatically changing over a signaling method during call incoming to a method of signaling by vibration each time a time zone set by a user periodically arrives. By providing a setting to allow the signaling method to be automatically changed over to one using vibration during the time zone when the surroundings become quiet, the user is able to know call incoming without imparting discomfort and annoyance to the surrounding people.
According to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of limiting call-incoming operation of a telephone, comprising the step of: automatically changing over a response during call incoming to a response by an answering phone function each time a time zone set by a user periodically arrives. Even if the user does not operate on each such occasion, the response during a time zone when the surroundings become quiet or during a time zone when a person is absent can be changed over to the answering phone function. Hence, it is possible to prevent forgetting to perform the setting or cancellation.